Running-gear for vehicles.



J. 0. SMITH. RUNNING GEAR FOB. VEHICLES. APPLICATION rum) MAR. e, 1909.

9?2,658. Patented 0st. 11,1910.

m o lllllllll f/VVE/VTOR J.Q. S miTh new t me JAMES 0. SMITH, OF DALEVILLE, MISSISSIPPI, ASSIGNOR-OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN L. HARBOUR, OF DE KALIB, MISSISSIPPI.

RUNNING-GEAR FOB VEHICLES.

Patented @011. 11, 1910.

Application filed March 6, 1909. Serial No. 481,571.

To all whom it may concern:

Be be it known that I, JAMES 0. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Daleville, in the county of Lauderdale and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Running- Gear for Vehicles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in running gear for vehicles and it is an object of the invention to provide a novel device of this character which, While being of a minimum weight, will possess great strength.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel device of this character wherein if any one of the elements constituting the device should be fractured or broken the remaining elements would possess sufficient strength to hold the parts together.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel device of this character wherein is included a durable fifth-wheel.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel device of this character which will be simple in construction, efiicient and advantageous in practice and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the details of construction and in the novel arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more particularly referred to. I.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which,

Figure 1 is a view in top plan of the invention applied. Fig. 2 is a cent-rally longitudinal view of Fig. 1, and, Fig. 3 is a View in perspective in the detail of the fifthwheel.

In the drawing 1 denotes a forward bolster of the vehicle and 2 the rear bolster. The forward bolster l and the rear bolster 2 are connected by the metallic strips 3 arranged on forwardly converging planes and having interposed therebetween and secured thereto adjacent their ends the transverse reinforcing or bracing strips 4. The strips 3 are further reinforced adjacent their rear end by the inclined braces 5 which extend from a point adjacent the rear reinforcing strips t to the rear bolster 2 as is fully shown in Fig. 5. It is to be observed that the securing means 6 holds both the reinforcing strips a and the inclined braces 5 to the strips 3.

Projecting inwardly from the bolster 1 approximately centrally thereof is the segmental portion 7 of an angular plate 8, said angular plate 8 being held to the bolster 1 by the bolts 9 passing therethrough. This plate 8 is also provided at its ends with the wings 10 which are held to the under surface of the bolster 1 by the clamps 11. To the inner face of the-bolster 1 is secured the L shaped plate 12 which is held to the bolster by the bolts 9, said bolts 9 also engaging angular end portions 13 of the strips 3 to hold said strips to the bolster l. The projecting portion of the plate 12 is reinforced by the braces 14, said braces being secured at one end to the projecting portion of the plate 12 and having their opposite end portions inclined and secured to the strips 3. These braces ll are in turn further reinforced by the approximately U shaped braces 15 secured to the segmental portion 7 of the plate 8 and to the braces 1 1.

Positioned beneath the bolster l is the steering axle 16 which has secured thereto the angular plate 17 which projects slightly beyond the rear edge of the axle 16 and through the projecting portion of the plate 17 the plate 8 and the projecting portion of the plate 12 passes the king bolt 18, said king bolt also passing through the base of a U- shaped bracket 19 secured to the under surface or edge of the axle 16. To further brace the king bolt 18 and to brace the segmental portion of the plate 8 the bracket 20 is secured to the under surface of the segment 7 and terminates above the base of the bracket 19 in an eye 21 surrounding the king bolt 18.

It is thought that from the foregoing description it will be seen that a running gear is provided which will be most effected in rough travel and which, while being of great strength is of a minimum weight. It is also thought to be apparent that should any one of the parts of the running gear be fractured or broken the damage would not be such as to interfere with the operation of the vehicle.

I claim 1. In combination with a bolster of a Vehicle and a steering axle; of plates projecting from the opposed faces of the bolster and axle, an L shaped plate secured to the inner face of the bolster and projecting therefrom adjacent the upper edge thereof, a bracket projecting from the under face of the axle, a king bolt passing through the plates and bracket and a bracing bracket secured to the plate of the bolster embracing the king bolt adjacent the bracket carried by the axle.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a front and a rear bolster and steering axle of a vehicle; of a pair of forwardly inclined strips connecting said bolsters, plates projecting from the 0pposed faces of said forward bolster and axle,

and bracing means between said bolster plate and axle, an additional plate carried by said bolster, downwardly inclined braces connecting said additional plate with the forward portions of said strips, additional braces for said last referred to bracing mem bersand a king bolt extending through the plates of said bolster and axle and also engaging the braces of the additional bolster plate and the bracing means between said bolster plate and axle, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES 0. SMITH.

Vitnesses A. L. SMITH, A. M. GINN. 

